Labeling machine



March 6, 1951 c. H. AMlDON ET AL LABELING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8, 1950 3 M 'K/Z I24 I I0 j'n'vencors (Ham 5 M flM/DON 11/5? 6'. PETERSON March 1951 c. H. AMIDON ET AL 2,544,627

LABELING MACHINE 4 $heets-Sheet 2 Filed March 8, 1950 -VN \N \N IVN w@@ iwg- 555%@QEEQET NM mfiww 4 w 4m km k aw... ww

Inv ntors (f/HELES H. /9/ \1/D0/V IVER E PETEEJJ'ON March 6, 1951 c. H. AMIDON ETAL 2,544,627

LABELING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1950 4 Sheet s-Shee't 3 eat-97 1 17 March 6, 1951 c. H. AMIDON ETAL 2,544,627

LABELING MACHiNE Fil ed Match 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [VEE .5 P5 TERSO/V 51 Mum 4: 1 may l atenteci Mar. 6,

' shbiirn'onef variouspgssibleen bddiinents f the meehs'mcm fetiii'es of inyentiom Fi 1 i a t efi ehwr irszp evati n of be machine e bedy h in 7 Fig; 2 is a fragmentary plan VifiW an an enlarged scale,- 0; the labeling machine; I

Fig. 3 is a, fragmentary -p 1 an yiew on an 611: lijr d scle, of aportion-of the labeling-machine shgwin'g the center gumrning apparatus; H Fig. 4; is 2; crbs's sectional View on an en 1arged scale, taken appzozintetely on the line 43 of Fig. 3, through the center gu mining gppapatng Fi. 5 is; a fragmenpaw plan iew, on an en urged sale, 6f the center g'umi'ning roll and its siibpbftf Y V Fig. 6 is; al fiflfneiitafi filafi View, 6Y1 an en-. liiged sl; of s bbftidn'of the camel; ufiiihifi; app'ayatus showing the blade fdi regulzitih the thickness of adhesive on the gummi'ng drfiifi;

Fig; '1 is a diagrammati i11ust1 'atiOn of the diiving'mechanis'rh' fer the Inachine; and

Fig} 8 'is it diaitininiti'c i'llu strabtibnj s'hbj n g'f, label tdwhich adhesive has beenapiilied by the lib'el bi'ckers and a lsb tfie 'atd hesiie efpiilid td the" c'bntiiher" foi 'stiliifig the" iitei iiitibfi bf the label.

A: labeling maehine has been illus'tia'ted intlii 35 mounted n v 7 y transmit a centirm ou memento the-cantata;chain-2g v A suitable transfer mech m n'i priaiii ded f6 transferring kidttle's" from the 'eo'ri yer chain 2 2" from the conveyer chain 22 onto the rotary table It].

It is desirable to provide a mechanism for spacing the bottles on the conveyor and positively controlling the movement of the bottles until they are positioned in alignment for engagement with one of the bottle engaging hooks 42 of the feed turret 36. A rotatable feed worm 45 is mounted in bearings 46 and 41 and is arranged to engage bottles travelling along the chain 22 and to properly space the bottles and also to positively feed them into predetermined positions for engagement by the bottle engaging hooks 42. A suitable driving mechanism is provided for the feed worm 45 comprising a bevel gear 48 (Fig. 7) mounted on the outer end of the shaft 3|. The bevel gear 48 meshes with a bevel gear 49 mounted on a rotatable shaft 50. The shaft 50 is provided with a sprocket which is drivingly connected by'means of a link chain 52 with a sprocket 53 fixedly mounted on the feed worm 45.

As soon as each bottle 2| is transferred onto the table In by rotation of the feed turret 35, it is engaged by a bottle supporting bracket 55 mounted on the upper surface of the rotatable table l0. There are a plurality of these brackets 55, 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d, 55e, 55f and 55g equally spaced about the circumference of the table ID. The speed of rotation of the feed turret 36 is related to the spe-d of rotation of the table H3 in the ratio of the number of brackets 55 to the number of bottle engaging hooks 42. With eight brackets 55 on the table |fl and four turret hooks 42, the turret should rotate twice while the table is rotating once.

A plurality of vertically movable bottle clamps 51, 51a, 51b, 51c, 5101, 57c, 51 and 519 are mechanically operated when a bottle is placed on the table in engagement with a supporting bracket 55 to clamp the bottle 2| to the table during a labeling operation. These bottle clamps 51 may be substantially identical with those shown in the prior U. S. patent to C. H. Oslund No. 2,259,212 dat d October 14, 1941, to whichreference may be had for details of dis closure not contained herein.

The table ,II! is also provided with a plurality of mechanically actuated label grippers 58, 58a, 58b, 58c, 58d, 58e, 581 and 589 which are arranged to hold a label in a predetermined pos tion on the bottle to facilitate withdrawal of the label pickers therefrom and to hold the label in position until the label has been wiped in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The labeling machine as illustrated in the drawings is a duplex machine having two label applying mechanism 60 and El which are arranged to apply a label to alternate bottlzs as they are carried in a rotary path by movement of the table It]. The label applying mechanism 60 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel pickers 62 and 63 which are supported on a rock shaft 64 (Fig. 2). As the pickers 62 and 63 are swung toward a label pack or magazine 61, a gumming roller 65 carried by a rock arm 66 rolls over the face of the pickers and applies a coat ing of adhesive thereto. Continued swinging movement of the pickers 62 and 63 swings them into engagement with the exposed label in the magazine 61 thereby gumming spaced portions of the label. When the pickers 62 and 63 are swung in the opposite direction, the expos:d label is withdrawn from the magazine and swung into a predetermined position on a bottle 2| after which the label gripper 58 engages the center portion of the label and holds it in a predetermined position so as to allow the pickers to withdraw without disturbing the posltlon of the label relative to the bottle 2|.

Similarly the label applying mechanism 6| is provided with a pair of spaced pickers I2 and 13 which are gummed by a gumming roller 14 carried by a rock arm 15 when the pickers l2 and 13 are swung toward the label pack or magazine (not shown). The label picking and applying mechanism is substantially identical to that as shown in prior U. S. patent to W. W. Oslund No. 1,940,011 dated December 19, 1933, to which reference may be had for details of disclosure not contained herein.

After labels 59 have been applied to the bottles 2|, continued rotation of the table It} carries the bottles 2| between a pair of spaced wipers such as brushes and 8| which serve to wipe the label into engagement with the surface of the bottle. During this wiping movement, the label grippers 58 hold the center portion of the label 59 in a predetermined position on the bottle during the Wiping operation.

After the bottles pass through the wiping station, continued rotation of the table l0 carries the labeled bottles 2| into a discharge position:

A rotatable bottle discharge turret '84 mounted on a vert.cal shaft serves to transfer labeled bottles 2| from the table l0 onto the discharge end of the conveyor chain 22 (Fig. 2). The bottle discharge turret 84 is provided with a plurality of bottle engaging hooks 8B which are rotated in a counter-clockwise direction with the discharge turret 84 to engage a labeled bottle and to transfer the bottle from the table onto the conveyer chain 22. A plurality of brackets 8'! are provided on the discharge turret 84 which serve with the hooks 86 to hold the bottles in an upright position during the discharge operation. Just before the labeled bottle 2| reaches the discharge position, the vert.cally movable bottle clamp raises thereby unclamping the bottle so that it may be readily discharged by means of the mechanism above described. The discharge turret is rotated in timed relation with the rotation of the table I0. The shaft 33 (Fig. 7) is provided with a bevel pinion 88 which meshes with a bevel gear 89 mounted on the lower end of the vertical shaft 85. By means of this driving connection the feed turret is rotated in a definite timed relationship with the rotation of the rotary table ID.

The label pickers above described serve to apply a coatin of adhesive 90 and 9| to spaced parallel end portions of the label 59. Thus when the label 59 is wiped onto the bottle only the two end portions thereof are stuck to the bottle.

In order to attain one of the main objects of this invention, it is desirable to provide an independent gumming mechanism whereby adhesive may be applied to a predetermined portion of the surface of the bottle 2| so that the ungummed portion of the label will be stuck thereto. This is preferably accomplished by means of a center gumming attachment to apply adhesive to a predetermined area 92 of the bottle 2|. This center gummin attachment may comprise an adhesive reservoir 95 (Fig. 4) which isfixedly mounted on a bracket 96 which is in turn fixed to the base l2 of the machine. The reservoir 95 is provided with an upwardly extending boss 91 which serves as a bearing for a rotatable drive shaft 98. The drive, shaft 98 is operatively connected to rotate a h ey sum n cylinder helower end at which ides w th n t e adhes ve within. the-reset: vein A Sheet ta l nder I!!! av n its lower end e s le afle nle e- I l- L s astened e t e r servoi 5 an se ves o ke the i hesive away from the drive shaft; and bearing; h refor. A disc -02 is fasten to the p er en of the c mm ng li der 99 to pr vent. dh sive om r e r e ten of the. c lindr al su face thereof. 7

e. cummi n er .9-1.5 pref rab y d iven inmed ren ion with the other mechan sms at he. ma hine. As sh wn. n t e; drawi s the. W3: tical; shaft 31 is. provided with a sprocket I03 whic s conn cted y means. of; alink hain. I04 with a sprocket I115 which: is; mounted on the. lower end of the, shaft 98;.

.As illustrated in the; drawings, m'ily.v a. small amount of adhesive is required in the, reservoir 95. As the gumming cylinder 99 is rotated}. ad; hesive in the reservoir 95. isthrown into; engagement with a wiper or doctor blade. I01. which serves to. spread the adhesive uniformly over: the. entire peripheral surface of. the cylinder 99. The: offset or inclined surface I06. in. the reservoir 95v serves to receive the accumulation of adhesive adjacent to. the blade I01. In order to regulate.

the thickness of the film of adhesive which passes.

tov the operative side of the attachment, the wiper blade I01: is pivotally. supported on a stud I08 and is arranged to: be adjusted toward. and from the peripheryv of the gumming cylinder 99 by means of an adjusting: screw I09. Itshould be noted that the right hand vertical wall" of the. reservoir is provided with an opening: I II]. This opening I III is above the-normal level of the ad hesive within the reservoir 95'.

In order to transfer adhesive from the cylinder 99 onto a predetermined portion of; the throt-v tle 2| being labeled; a soft orresilient rubber g'umming roller III is rotatably supported orla vertical stud H2 carried by an arm H3'which is adjustably connected to the upper end of a ver-- tically arranged shaft H4. The lower'end of the shaft H4 is provided" with a sprocket H5 which is connected by a link chain H6 with a sprocket H'I mounted on the vertical shaft 99 It Will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure? gumming roller III, an adjustable connection:

is provided between the arm H11;. and the shaft I I4. A plate II 8 is fixedly mounted on the shaft H4, The plate H8 is provided with a pair-of spacedupwardly extending ears I I9 and I" (Fig. 5) each of which is provided with aligned opposed adjusting screws I2! and I22 respectively. The screws I2I and I22 are arranged to engage the opposite side faces of the arm H3 to facilitate a rotary adjustment of the arm H3 relative to the shaft H4. In order to lock the arm I I3 in adjusted position relative to the shaft I I4, a clamping screw I23 (Figs. 4 and 5) passes through an elongated arcuate slot I24 formed in the arm H3 and is screw threaded into the plate II8. It will be readily apparent from the fore- If... afterwh eh t may be ocked i d u t d o tiea relative t e e b means of the e a r ce. screw I23;

To. faci it e operation. of the center cummin 1191,1612 II.-l the; arm 11.3. is; preferab y p ovided; with, a giveaway or; yieldable connection, in whi h: the nd. portion 1.3a. supporting he: stud H12 and. the gumming. roller HI is. pivotally cone ted b eans, f. a stud- !25 w th; the mai part ('Elgi 5) serves; normally to; hold. the. give-away Q yicldableportion Hi of; the. arm H3 ina. Position. asillustrated in Fig. 5. As, the arm I I3;

revolves; in a counter-clockwise,- direction to carryhe. cummin QHEr LI I into en agement with. the an n cylinder 99... he. ive-away or. yieldabl'e portion I-I3o of; the; arm H3. isallowed. to rock.

about; the stud. I25 as a pivot against. the oom;-. nression; of the spring 26. so that the cumming.

roller I;II may; be. maintained, in engagement with a; sufficient. portion of the cumming cylinder 9.9; toreceive a coating of adhesive. After the; summing: roller III; has passed across the gum.- mingcylinder 9.9, the. continued; rotation of; the

shart I I;4 serves to.-mo ve the arm H3; to carry the gumming: roller.- IIjI; into dotted lineposition'.

HIa (Fig. 2) in the path of the next bottle 21- s; the ta e. L05 continues it rotary: motion. to

apply; coating. of; adhesive. to. a. predetermined.

portion. of the; surface; of. the; bottle; 2! so. as. to:

stick the; ungummed. pfirtion. of, the label 5.9, onto.

the; bottle 21.

The operation of the improved machine will;

be. readily, apparent; from the foregoing disoloe sure. The motor: I3: is, started continuously to rotate the. rotarytable I9, the feed turret 36,. the bottle; discharge turret 84 and to drive the.

link conveyor chain 22. This driving mechanism. also serves in a manner above described torotate the-gumming cylinder 99 of the center. gumming attachment and to. revolve. the center gumming roller H'I-.. Bottles to be labeled are placed. on. the; conveyor: 22; at the left: hand end (Fig. 1);. The conveyor 22-carriesthe bottles. 2.I toward; the: right: until. they are, engaged by the; feed. worm 45 which. thereafter; positively controls the:

feeding: moyement' of; the. bottles toward the. loading; position. The bottle; engaging hooks 42 of the feed;turret;3fi engage the-bottles 2| when; they reach a loading position; and transfer thebottles 2lI, onto the-rotary table In in aligmnent;

withthe; bottle, supporting bracketsid. As soon'.

as. av bottle 2I' has been placed. on the tablein.

engagement with the bottle supporting. bracket, one-ofthe verticallymovable bottle clamps moves downwardlyvto clamp. the bottlein position on the table. The table Ifirotates continuously and as, the bottl'eto'be labeled'approaches the center gumming-position, the center gumming roller- II I' which is" positioned in position I I I it engages a predetermined portion of the surface of. the

of the; arm. H3, A. compression. spring; I26,

apply labels to alternate bottles as they are carried in a circular path by rotation of the table- ID. Assoon as the pickers 623 and 63 or 1'2 and '13 move a label into engagement with a bottle 2| to be labeled, one of the label grippers 58 moves into engagement with the center portion of the label to hold the label in a predetermined position on the bottle so as to allow the pickers 62 and B3 or E2 and T3 to withdraw to an inoperative position. The label gripper remains in engagement with the label until the bottle 2| passes through between the wiper brushes 8 and 8| which smooth out and wipe the label into engagement with the bottle. After the bottles leave the wiper brushes 8E and 8|, the label gripper 53 moves out of engagement with the label, the vertically movable bottle clamp 57 moves upwardly so that when the labeled bottle 2| is engaged by a bottle engaging hook 86 carried by the bottle discharge turret 84, the labeled bottle 2i may be swung in a counter-clockwise direction from the table l9 onto the discharge end of the conveyer chain 22. It will be seen that the pickers 62 and $3 or '12 and '13 apply adhesive to end portions of the label and the center gumming roller Hi applies a coating of adhesive to a predetermined portion of the surface of the bottle to be labeled so that substantially the entire surface of the label is stuck to the bottle.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a labeling machine having means to apply labels having spaced gummed portions into a predetermined position on an article to be.

labeled, a gumming apparatus including an adhesive reservoir, a rotatable cylinder therein, means including an adjustable blade to control the thickness of the film of adhesive on said cylinder, a rotatable gumming roller, and means to move said roller into engagement with said cylinder to receive a coating of adhesive and'thereafter to move said roller into engagement with the article to be labeled to apply adhesive to a predetermined portion of the surface thereof for sticking the ungummed portion of the label to said article.

2. In a labeling machine having a rotatable table for supporting articles to be labeled, means to rotate said table, a center gumming attachment including an adhesive reservoir, a gumming cylinder therein, means including a shaft for rotating said cylinder, a rotatable gumming roller, an arm to support said roller, and means 0 swing said arm to move said roller into engage ment with the cylinder to receive a coating of adhesive and thereafter to move said roller into engagement with the article to be labeled to apply adhesive to a predetermined portion of the surface of said article.

3. In a labeling machine having a rotatable table for'supporting articles to be labeled, means to rotate said table, a center gumming attachment including an adhesive reservoir, a vertically arranged cylinder therein, a vertical shaft for rotating said cylinder, a vertically arranged rotatable gumming roller, an arm to support said roller, and means to move said arm so as to move said roller into engagement with said cyl-' inder-to receive a coating of adhesive and thereafter to move said roller into engagement with the article to be labeled to apply adhesive to a predetermined portion of the surface of said engagement with the article to be labeled to ap-v ply adhesive to a predetermined portion of thesurface thereof.

5. In a labeling machine having a rotatable table for supporting articles to be labeled, means to rotate said table, a center gumming attachment including an adhesive reservoir, a rotatable gumming cylinder therein, means to rotate said cylinder, a rotatable gumming roller, means including an arm to support said roller, means to swing said arm in synchronism with rotation of said table so as to swing the gumming roller into engagement with said cylinder to receive a coating of adhesive and thereafter to swing said roller into engagement with an article to be labeled to'apply adhesive to a predetermined portionof the surface thereof, and a yieldable joint in said arm to facilitate maintaining the gumming roller in engagement with the gumming cylinder a sumcient time interval so that the entire cylindrical surface of the roller is completely coated with adhesive.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Oslund Mar. 15, 1932 Number 

